Principal Application Engineer

Cadence; Odessa (TX); On-site; USD 210,000 - 390,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

401(k) plan

Medical plan

Dental plan

Vision plan

Stock purchase plan

Job summary

Cadence, a leader in electronic design automation, seeks a Principal Application Engineer to be a senior technical leader in Cadence's North America Field Applications Team, driving strategic customer engagements and shaping next-generation EDA and AgenticAI solutions.

Lead a team of application engineers, collaborate with R&D and Product Engineering, and influence tool enhancements for advanced nodes (3nm and below). Competitive Cadence tools experience is highly valued.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in IC design implementation and signoff, with demonstrated success in managing large-scale technical programs.
• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• Deep expertise in digital design fundamentals, advanced node implementation (3nm and below), and EDA tool ecosystems.
• Proven track record of leading technical teams and driving customer success at executive levels.
• Strong proficiency in scripting (Tcl, Python, Perl) and flow customization for design closure.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders.
• Prior experience with Cadence tools (Genus, Innovus, Tempus, Voltus, Conformal, Cerebrus) and competitive solutions highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Define and execute technical engagement strategies for top semiconductor design teams, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and customer success metrics.
• Customer Advocacy: Act as a trusted advisor for executive-level stakeholders, guiding adoption of Cadence's digital implementation, signoff technologies and AgenticAI features across advanced nodes (3nm and below).
• Team Development: Lead and mentor a high-performing team of Application Engineers, fostering technical excellence and career growth.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with R&D and Product Engineering to influence tool enhancements based on real-world customer requirements.
• Innovation & Enablement: Drive complex benchmarks, flow optimizations, and deployment of cutting-edge methodologies for Synthesis, P&R, STA, IR Drop, and power/timing closure.
• Thought Leadership: Represent Cadence at industry forums, author technical papers, and deliver keynote presentations to position Cadence as a market leader.
• Operational Excellence: Establish best practices for engagement models, resource planning, and technical escalations to ensure timely and successful project execution.

Skills

Scripting (Tcl)

Python

Perl

Leadership

Education

BS in Electrical/Computer Engineering

MS in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Tools

Genus

Innovus

Tempus

Voltus

Conformal

Cerebrus

Job description

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.

Overview

The Principal Application Engineer will serve as a senior technical leader within Cadence's North America Field Applications Team, driving strategic customer engagements and influencing next-generation EDA & Agentic-AI solutions. This role demands exceptional technical depth, proven leadership, and the ability to align cross-functional teams toward delivering advanced design solutions for leading semiconductor companies.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership : Define and execute technical engagement strategies for top semiconductor design team, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and customer success metrics.
• Customer Advocacy : Act as a trusted advisor for executive-level stakeholders, guiding adoption of Cadence's digital implementation, signoff technologies and AgenticAI features across advanced nodes (3nm and below).
• Team Development : Lead and mentor a high-performing team of Application Engineers, fostering technical excellence and career growth.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration : Partner with R&D and Product Engineering to influence tool enhancements based on real-world customer requirements.
• Innovation & Enablement : Drive complex benchmarks, flow optimizations, and deployment of cutting-edge methodologies for Synthesis, P&R, STA, IR Drop, and power/timing closure.
• Thought Leadership : Represent Cadence at industry forums, author technical papers, and deliver keynote presentations to position Cadence as a market leader.
• Operational Excellence : Establish best practices for engagement models, resource planning, and technical escalations to ensure timely and successful project execution.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in IC design implementation and signoff, with demonstrated success in managing large-scale technical programs.
• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• Deep expertise in digital design fundamentals, advanced node implementation (3nm and below), and EDA tool ecosystems.
• Proven track record of leading technical teams and driving customer success at executive levels.
• Strong proficiency in scripting (Tcl, Python, Perl) and flow customization for design closure.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders.
• Prior experience with Cadence tools (Genus, Innovus, Tempus, Voltus, Conformal, Cerebrus) and competitive solutions highly desirable.

The annual salary range for California is $210,000 to $390,000.

You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus, equity, and benefits.

Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure.

Our benefits programs include:

• paid vacation and paid holidays
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• employee stock purchase plan
• a variety of medical, dental and vision plan options
• and more

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